Saints, Loomis also file appeals

Posted by Mike Florio on March 30, 2012, 5:06 PM EST

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The term “full responsibility” apparently merits the same asterisk that some will now apply to the Saints’ win in Super Bowl XLIV.

Despite the fact that all relevant Saints personnel have confessed to a three-year bounty system, which continued for two years after the NFL investigated and the relevant personnel lied about its existence, all of the Saints personnel who have been suspended have now appealed their punishments.

The Saints organization, which was fined $500,000 and stripped of a pair of second-round draft picks, also has appealed.

From a legal perspective, the Saints and coach Sean Payton and assistant head coach Joe Vitt and G.M. Mickey Loomis eachhave the right to appeal. But exercising that right doesn’t necessarily mesh with the concept of contrition and accountability for one of the biggest scandals in league history, which entailed cash payments to players who inflicted injury on opponents.

The fact that the appeals will be heard by Commissioner Roger Goodell will make a reduction of the penalties unlikely, but not impossible.

What a joke of an organization. The Saints deserve all the crap coming their way in the near future. The players won’t even need bounties to have an incentive to knock Saints players out, they’re giving them enough of an incentive just with all this hubris.

The plaintive wails of the tragic victims can still be heard rising from the streets of New Orleans.

LoCoSu@%s says:Mar 30, 2012 5:12 PM

How about increasing the penalties for not showing any remorse and trying to milk the system

purpleguy says:Mar 30, 2012 5:12 PM

I wish this was more like a criminal prosecution where if the defendant doesn’t agree to the plea deal and goes to trial, the penalties are increased. Clearly, the Saints haven’t properly acknowledged or accepted either the gravity of or responsibility for their actions. Screw em.

ilovefoolsball says:Mar 30, 2012 5:12 PM

The thing that you fans of opposing teams don’t understand or won’t recognize is that:

A. How can you give cash payments for injury when no injuries were inflicted?

C. What do they really have to lose by appealing? There is a chance they’ll get it reduced and don’t give me this “public perception” b.s. The only people that they would have any care in the world about offending is their own fans and the “Who Dat Nation” has stood up strong and proud in support of the team and coaches for what is beyond excessive punishment.

D. “GODdell” has shown that he will make an example out of you to show the rest of the league that he is tough, even if it means that the punishment is more severe than the crime.

E. You can take responsibility but still think that the punishment is too tough. You say no? So if you take responsibility for stealing a loaf of bread and the punishment is life in prison you’re ok with that?

Really, Saints organization?? You really want to shove that proverbial stuck farther up Roger Goodell’s and the general public’s a$$ than it already is? You’ve already completely ruined your reputation. Don’t make it worse.

They should all shut their blabber mouths and take their punishment like a man. Goodell should hammer them some more just because they had the gaul to appeal their suspensions. Me thinks they should all be band from the league. And Giants should lose draft picks because of Mara’s fat mouth.

Accepting “full responsibility” doesn’t mean you agree with the penalty. If you are sentenced to death for stealing a candy bar and you admit to stealing, that doesn’t mean you agree with the sentence. So, you appeal the sentence and hope the judge will come to his/her senses and give you a fairer sentence.
I still believe the best punishment for Payton is to be fined his $6 million salary and reinstate him as coach. This way he cannot get a job with Fox and recover some of the $6 million he’s going to lose. Plus, it will not effect the innocent fans and city of New Orleans, who had absolutely nothing to do with the “scandal”. Punish the people involed, not the fans. FREE SEAN PAYTON!!!

You people are all idiots. Why the hell WOULDN’T they appeal? If you were in the exact same situation and knew you had the smallest chance of reducing the punishment, wouldn’t you appeal too? How is that milking the system? It’s called using the system for what it was designed for.

And quit acting like the Saints committed murder or something. Wa wa they allegedly paid each other money to hurt other players? I thought the NFL was about a bunch of brutes getting PAID TO HURT EACH OTHER.

But no, this is so obviously cheating, right? This certainly deserves more of a punishment than the Patriots got for ACTUALLY cheating, and Sean Payton totally deserves the same punishment Donte Stallworth got for killing someone with his car while drunk driving.

Just because the Saints got caught, doesn’t mean other teams don’t do it too.

Aints’ fans are just as delusional as the Aints organization. If they just did what the Packers did when they heard about bounties going on in their organziation when they first heard about them, they wouldn’t be in the mess. Bottom line: THEY LIED TO THE COMMISSIONER!!!!! Plain and simple. The cover up is always worse than the crime itself. They man up and took care of it back in the 09 season, Payton would be coaching this season, Williams would be coaching the Rams’ defense, Loomis wouldn’t have gotten suspended and the Aints would still have those two 2nd rounders.

smirk11 says:Mar 30, 2012 5:28 PM

The Saints have not seen the evidence again them. The NFL says “we have this evidence, you’re guilty! What? You want to see it? No. You can’t but trust us it’s good!”

And Flor completely mischaracterizes things. No one associated with the Saints has admitted to a Pay to Injure Scheme. No one. None.

So once again, irresponsible journalism rules the day.

r0b1b0y says:Mar 30, 2012 5:29 PM

Goodell is just a man. Are grown men supposed to genuflect, kiss his ring and cower in his presence?

I wish Goodell has the pelotes to up the suspensions and fines just for the arrogance of the Saints, Vitt, Payton and Loomis to confess their guilt for lying to the commish’s face and perpetuating further the bounty scheme even after denying any knowledge and now to appeal and ask for a hearing and absolution from the severity of their sins from the same man to whom they lied in the first place – PRICELESS!!

Wonder if Sean and Vitt still are using those 80 vicodine tabs they bagged from the Saints training room cabinet because they have to be high on something to think this is going to fly?

Hey Viking fan. Enjoy your “higher moral ground” and your lack of championships. If you want to put an asterisk on the Saints’ Super Bowl Victory, get on Fred Smoot’s Love Boat and cruise on down the Mississippi and do it, if you’re big and bad enough!

moagecu says:Mar 30, 2012 5:41 PM

ilovefoolsball says:
Mar 30, 2012 5:12 PM

A. How can you give cash payments for injury when no injuries were inflicted?
_____________

Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.

And didn’t the Saints players also end Kurt Warners career?

But apparently we don’t understand anything. I’m guessing you became a Saints fan in 2009 too along with the rest of the bandwagon.

ascensionparish says:Mar 30, 2012 5:41 PM

It’s their right. No asterisk needed. But even if there was one, it’d be better than what the Vikings have in their trophy case.

ilovefoolsball says:Mar 30, 2012 5:42 PM

@drgfri

No I’m not denying that what they did was outside of the rules, but nowhere was there any proof that a player got paid for injuring an opponent. They should be punished yes, but the same amount of punishment that was handed to a player for KILLING an innocent civilian?…and less punishment than the Patriots got for doing things that would give them a real competitive advantage in games?
….Yeah ok.

Keep your eyes closed sheep and follow your pied piper GODdell, he’ll lead you right to the cliff.

It’s a privilege to coach and play in NFL. The saints have officially abuse it. It Time for goodell to ban loomis,Payton. Player involved and benson because they are turning this into a circus and not taking this serious. It’s time for NFL to redact saints super bowl win from the record books.

What does taking full responsibility have to do with accepting a punishment that may be unjust? They are appealing, but presumably not implying they are innocent but that there may be reasons to adjust the punishment, not eliminate it.

letmesetyoustraight says:Mar 30, 2012 5:43 PM

Gotta disagree on this one, Mike. “Contrition and accountability” are not tied hand-in-hand with accepting what many consider to be excessive penalties.

djstat says:Mar 30, 2012 5:43 PM

So they take full responsibility and appeal? If Roger Goodell has to consider a lighter sentence because they have the right to appeal, then I’d like to appeal for them to have a longer sentence

I love how people will complain day and night about how Goodell is turning the NFL into a flag football league, but then news breaks that a team is doing the exact opposite of what Goodell wants and now everybody is on the commissioner’s side. You’re all a bunch of hypocriticizers.

moagecu says:Mar 30, 2012 5:44 PM

drewbreesus says:
Mar 30, 2012 5:26 PM

I thought the NFL was about a bunch of brutes getting PAID TO HURT EACH OTHER.

_______

You are also an IDIOT who knows nothing about the sport of football. Go back to your world of warcraft game in your moms basement.

The team is just trying to buy time. You know when physcopaths blow up government buildings and it takes a dacade for them to get the death penalty?

Remember StarCaps? The Appeals process took nearly 3 years.

Are they trying to beat the system? OF COURSE, but come on, the system is there to be beaten. You cant beat the system if you don’t try.

iberiasaint says:Mar 30, 2012 5:45 PM

On getting his suspension removed: Peyton probably has a better chance of getting struck by lightning while riding a unicorn on a rainbow and talking to a 15 foot tall, dancing kitten wearing a leisure suit made out of living butterflies about whom would win in an cage wrestling match between Bigfoot & the Abominable Snowman if they were both covered in crazy glue and thumbtacks & their feet bound by cobras, but who knows. Maybe the suspensions will be reduced. WHO DAT

Right on geauxmez, delaying tactic while they bring Parcells up to speed on everything going on in the organization, else why do it? Goodell won’t rescind his own decision so it buys them more time to get their draft board lined up, camps scheduled, etc. Not too hard to figure out, and don’t for a doubt think its not with someone other than Parcells. Tuna smells that 8 million or whatever he’ll get.

sterilizecromartie says:Mar 30, 2012 5:46 PM

The term “full responsibility” apparently merits the same asterisk that some will now apply to the Saints’ win in Super Bowl XLIV.
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Please tell me who these people are who are applying an asterisk to the Saints Super Bowl so I can punch them in the face.

“Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.”

Riiiight, the bounty system was the reason Brett got knocked out of the game. It surely wasn’t the fact that he was a 40-year old man trying to play football in the NFL. And it certainly wasn’t because his offensive line was playing like garbage. And it definitely wasn’t the fact that it was the NFC championship game and everyone was playing their hearts out to get to the Super Bowl.

sterilizecromartie says:Mar 30, 2012 5:49 PM

moagecu says:Mar 30, 2012 5:41 PM

Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.

And didn’t the Saints players also end Kurt Warners career?
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Favre was knocked out of the game because the Saints hit him hard. It had nothing to do with a bounty, but more to do with the crappy job his O-line did blocking for him.

At least the Pats accepted their punishment and moved on. They took full responsibility and didn’t try to appeal even though Pats fans sure would have liked that considering the loss of a 1st rounder was extremely harsh. As for the fact that other teams may have done it at one time or another didn’t sway any fans back then. Neither will it sway me now. Oh, the Pats didn’t hide their practice for two more years after being initially investigated. Saints fans should just keep their mouths shut and move on. No amount of arguments will sway the public opinion on this one.

robf2010 says:Mar 30, 2012 5:53 PM

“Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.”

Brett Favre didn’t miss a down.

“And didn’t the Saints players also end Kurt Warners career?”

He missed a series. According to Warner, himself, that clean block did NOT end his career.

Goodell should say you were right Sean…You get 2 years instead of 1 year!

sterilizecromartie says:Mar 30, 2012 6:01 PM

phillyphever says:Mar 30, 2012 5:28 PM

Aints’ fans are just as delusional as the Aints organization. If they just did what the Packers did when they heard about bounties going on in their organziation when they first heard about them, they wouldn’t be in the mess. Bottom line: THEY LIED TO THE COMMISSIONER!!!!! Plain and simple.
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Thank you for making my point for me. This over-the-top punishment has less to do with actual bounties than it does with GODell having his feelings hurt because he was lied to. If bounties were so awful, why weren’t they suspended for a year right when the NFL found out about it? But no, they gave them a “Hey, can you put an end to this little bounty thing for us? Emmkay. Thanks”.

numba1dunna says:Mar 30, 2012 6:02 PM

wow, this is a means of delaying time, not to avoid punishment…its called the “process”, appeal and you get an extra 2-3 weeks to help this team get right for the season, if you think this has anything to do with anything other than that your an idiot

Damn right they should all appeal. This Bounty garbage is just that. If somebody accused me of something, and said they have “50+ pages of evidence, then I’d demand to read every stinking page. We live in a democracy people, not a dictatorship. You can’t just accuse somebody of something, and then that be the end of it. These people HAVE THE RIGHT to defend themselves – just like you and me. Open your closed minds for a few seconds, and ask yourselves “what if this had happened to my team?” How would you feel? Would you expect your team and it’s fans to just lie down and take it, or fight back? Would you like for a Dictator like Goodell to come in and cripple your team the way he has our’s? Of course not. And please spare me all this moral BS I’m reading. None of you anti-Saints people actually believe what you are writing. You’re just looking for something to hate because you’re either jealous of our team, or because you are all callous, cold hearted people who enjoy seeing others punished and hurt.

A. How can you give cash payments for injury when no injuries were inflicted?
_____________

“Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.

And didn’t the Saints players also end Kurt Warners career?

But apparently we don’t understand anything. I’m guessing you became a Saints fan in 2009 too along with the rest of the bandwagon”

So a legal block on Kurt Warner and aggressive play against an immobile 42 year old qb where penalties were actually called in the appropriate circumstances is the actual “meat” of this entire thing according to you? I’m glad no other Super Bowl winners wanted to knock out opposing qbs in the past 40 or so years, and that this was such an isolated incident…this is football Cinderella…Eli Manning took his pounding by the Niners in the championship game like a champion would. These guys were in the biggestgame of their lives and were playing their asses of. The bounty system was terrible but this tea and crumpets attitude toward football is as big a turn off as the whole “bounty gate” issue by these writers who have never known the meaning of competition at any level.

But apparently we don’t understand anything. I’m guessing you became a Saints fan in 2009 too along with the rest of the bandwagon”

So a legal block on Kurt Warner and aggressive play against an immobile 42 year old qb where penalties were actually called in the appropriate circumstances is the actual “meat” of this entire thing according to you? I’m glad no other Super Bowl winners wanted to knock out opposing qbs in the past 40 or so years, and that this was such an isolated incident…this is football Cinderella…Eli Manning took his pounding by the Niners in the championship game like a champion would. These guys were in the biggestgame of their lives and were playing their asses of. The bounty system was terrible but this tea and crumpets attitude toward football is as big a turn off as the whole “bounty gate” issue by these writers who have never known the meaning of competition at any level.

jason1980 says:Mar 30, 2012 6:12 PM

There are no “superbowl” guarantees being thrown about by Saints fans, only hopes and desires. I think all NFL fan bases share those dreams.

You are also an IDIOT who knows nothing about the sport of football. Go back to your world of warcraft game in your moms basement.

============================

Oh I’m sorry, I forgot that you were the football expert. You’re right, Brett Favre totally got hurt in the NFC championship game because of the bounty system, that HAS to be it. His age, crappy o-line, and the fact that he was playing the game of football had nothing to do with it.

Quit acting like you know all the details, because you know nothing, just like the rest of us. If the Saints were getting paid to play harder, who cares? How is that any different from a pee wee league coach promising the team pizza and chuck e cheese if they win? Here’s a little secret: it’s not.

If there is evidence that they were getting paid to actually hurt other players, than yeah they deserve the punishment. but as of now, all of you haters are talking out of your asses.

moagecu says:Mar 30, 2012 6:13 PM

Favre was knocked out of the game because the Saints hit him hard. It had nothing to do with a bounty, but more to do with the crappy job his O-line did blocking for him.
____________

Im guessing thats why Vilma felt the need to put a $10,000 bounty on Favre. And multiple Saints players were fined after the game.

moagecu says:Mar 30, 2012 6:16 PM

Damn right they should all appeal. This Bounty garbage is just that. If somebody accused me of something, and said they have “50+ pages of evidence, then I’d demand to read every stinking page. We live in a democracy people, not a dictatorship. You can’t just accuse somebody of something, and then that be the end of it. These people HAVE THE RIGHT to defend themselves – just like you and me.

_______

They had the right to defend themselves and to come forward and admit what was going on, but the whole organization just kept lying about it…..

You act as if Goddell heard there might be a bounty program in NO and just threw out random punishments without investigating.

vikingamericann says:Mar 30, 2012 6:18 PM

It is amazing how little some of the poster understand what it is to be an American. Payton has every right to challenge His punishment. Furthermore, he has a duty to do so as well. Americans don’t have to accept what ever punishment come our way for our mistakes. We seek justices and fairness. He has questions as to the fairness of this. So he must challenge win or loose. We have rapist, murders and dog killers suspended for less time. Just maybe a liar is not as serious a crime as murder, rape or animal cruelty.

thejuddstir says:Mar 30, 2012 6:20 PM

I would like to hear what saints fans would say if one of their neighbors paid someone else to come over and assault them. A lot of people would spend time in prison for such a crime…and if they were a two-time offender or drug user (Sean Payton), they would for sure get prison…..be thankful you only got one year suspension Payton and now grow up and accept your punishment like a…………….man.
You know with all the meetings in NY between Payton, Saints, Loomis, Benson, Williams etc. with Goodell prior to the punishment being handed down, that the punishment was talked about ahead of time and the criminals were told to accept responsibility and show remorse so the league could put this PR nightmare behind them but the Gang of Five decided to stab Goodell and the rest of the league in the back…….double their sentence Goodell !!!

jason1980 says:Mar 30, 2012 6:21 PM

Goddell says he 50,000 pages of documentation, my a$$, what were they using 48 font? I wanna to see it, and so does those who have been accused.

No I’m not denying that what they did was outside of the rules, but nowhere was there any proof that a player got paid for injuring an opponent. They should be punished yes, but the same amount of punishment that was handed to a player for KILLING an innocent civilian?

————————

What you fail to realize is that this has implications regarding the entire integrity of the game as a whole. Allowing this to slide means other teams will think it’s fine since there’s no repercussions, and if they think it gives them even a slight edge, other teams will implement it as well. Harsh punishment ensures it won’t happen again. Someone had to be the scapegoat here, and what better team than the one that kept lying when approached by it?

“Accepting responsibility” here isn’t the same as a plea bargain like some of you are making it out to be. Accepting a plea bargain would have been coming clean when they were asked in the first place, since the consistently kept lying, the punishment reflects that.

I suggest you get over it, these appeals won’t do jack – this isn’t a court of law, it’s a sports league and the guy at the top gets power over big decisions, just like a CEO gets power over big decisions in a company.

sterilizecromartie says:Mar 30, 2012 6:28 PM

moagecu says:Mar 30, 2012 6:13 PM

Favre was knocked out of the game because the Saints hit him hard. It had nothing to do with a bounty, but more to do with the crappy job his O-line did blocking for him.
____________

Im guessing thats why Vilma felt the need to put a $10,000 bounty on Favre.
———————–
Soooo because the Saints had a bounty on Favre it gave them super-strength and super-speed and such an unfair advantage that they were able to blow by the offensive lineman and hit Favre? You don’t think it had anything to do with the Saints just being the better, more physical, tougher, hungrier team that day?

Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.

And didn’t the Saints players also end Kurt Warners career?
——–
Favre was knocked out of the game because the Saints hit him hard. It had nothing to do with a bounty, but more to do with the crappy job his O-line did blocking for him.
———————————————————-

The league admitted penalties were missed in the game & others were called. That had nothing to do with bounties? Really? You should inform members of your organization that have admitted to it then because they didn’t get that memo the second time. The first they were told to “get their ducks in a row.”
There was so much that was wrong going on I can’t believe you have a grasp on reality if you think they should be let off the hook.

vikingamericann says:Mar 30, 2012 6:40 PM

“I would like to hear what saints fans would say if one of their neighbors paid someone else to come over and assault them”says one poster I may not be a Saints fan but I’ll take a stab at it. Let’s see football players tackle each other to end the play. Neighbors live next to each other as part of the community. Him neighbor tackles another neighbor for money bad for community. Football player tackles opposing player for money good for team. Football players have been injured when being tackled for money even non bounty money. Hmm neighbors not supposed to tackle other neighbors.. Your attempt at an analogy has failed miserably. Perhaps you need more schooling.

tangysizzl says:Mar 30, 2012 6:41 PM

I totally understand the Saints fans trying to defend their team but you can’t deny that there WAS a bounty program and it was installed by Greg Williams. He had records of all the payments made to the players and what they were for.

Its also been documented that evidence was found for bounties for injury on at least 4 QBs Newton Rodgers Favre and Warner.

You can’t deny the facts, you could spin it like a Lawyer would but even a lawyer couldn’t save these guys because if they faced a real court they would all be in jail for conspiracy, assault, tax evasion or racketeering, not to mention perjury for lying about it.

Don’t act like this is no big deal it is and they need to be punished. They had a chance to save themselves from most of this mess if they came clean when it was first investigated.

If Saints fans want to be mad at someone for hurting your team look no further than Payton Williams Vitt and Loomis for breaking clearly stated rules, lying about it and having the gall to continue doing it afterwards.

Goodell didn’t do this to you, those 4 idiots did.

vikingamericann says:Mar 30, 2012 6:49 PM

Apparently you don’t even pay attention to your own team? Brett Favre was knocked out of the NFC Championship game because of the bounty system.

Maybe I missed something, but Farve played offensive snap against the Saints. We lost because we hired a mercenary to try and win a Super Bowl. (the fumbles did help either) We should have drafted better than accept a Packer/jet reject.

cags777 says:Mar 30, 2012 6:49 PM

At this point, nothing surprises me. Time to deny the appeals and slap an extra penalty for mocking the suspension time frame.

Brett go those injuries because the Saints went low. Not from a previous game.

You can try to spin it any way you want it but the bottom line is the Siant’s are dirty. They belittled the tam and their win.

When a n Aint’s player is yelling I won I won after he thought he knocked Brett out of the game then it must be a bounty. What could of he won? The game was not over, everyone was getting paid to play already but I guess that is not enough.

I don’t understand asterisk … Ive watched the game over and over again … Where did Saints cheated? Please somebody not the moral bandwagon tell me.. Direct to specific play or call!! I don’t get this “2009 SB is an asterisk ” comment.. Who Dat Baby!!! Payton for President

thecrazyasianinseccountry says:Mar 30, 2012 7:47 PM

There’s an asterisk because the Saints defense was actually motivated during playoff and tackled a little harder… Oh huh!! Poor baby !! Mommy forgot big huggie and kisses on you booboo

sterilizecromartie says:Mar 30, 2012 7:49 PM

randomjim says:Mar 30, 2012 6:39 PM

There was so much that was wrong going on I can’t believe you have a grasp on reality if you think they should be let off the hook.
———–
Sorry but I missed the part where I said they should be let off the hook. Did I say that? Maybe you can point it out to me where I said that.

They were wrong and they deserve a punishment. But, the talk that they ended players careers, and that they cheated, and that their super bowl should have an asterisk are the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. If you don’t agree with that, then I have to question your grasp on reality.

twodat says:Mar 30, 2012 7:50 PM

Amazing. Did this logic apply to Suh, Harrison, Roethisberger, etc. Too bad some people couldn’t make a living at the law.

sterilizecromartie says:Mar 30, 2012 7:54 PM

I just love how people make this story worse and worse with each passing week.

First it was “The Saints had a bounty system”.

Then it was “The Saints paid players for injuries”.

Now it is “The Saints knocked Brett Favre out of the game and ended Warner’s career”.

In a week it will be “The Saints killed 3 players during the bounty scandal”.

To all the asterisk people
I’m a guy and i still got a pair. I like my football on played the field. I want me teams players to nail the opposing team with big hits. None of that defenseless player sissy stuff. I want to drink beer blow farts , and comment on the cheerleaders hooters. You so called guys who want an asterisk. Well this guy says you have asterisks for balls**

4) Charles Martin of the Packers ended Jim MacMahon’s season in 1986 after having a “hit list” written on a towel.
Punishment? Two game suspension despite *actually* ending someone’s year through a documented, pre-meditated injury.

7) Antonio Pierce from a radio interview a few days ago said, “I’ve been with 2 teams and I’ve never heard of the bounty system. I mean to go out and intentionally try to hurt another player. I mean, come on. Now, there is an injury report each week and we would look at it and if a guy had an injured knee, ankle, head or another injury of course we are gonna go after that part of the body and try to knock them out of the game. But to intentionally try to hurt someone, thats not right.”

Bounty programs, especially minor ones, and intentionally hitting players in vulnerable spots in attempts to knock them out of the game are very common in NFL history, and historically, have seen little punishment.

Please name the specific player(s) who were injured and which player(s) was paid to inflict said injury.

Please back up your assertions with facts, or stop making them.

Assertions without evidence…….in other words lies.

desertspin says:Mar 30, 2012 9:32 PM

The Saint’s organization has handled this badly, from blantantly breaking the league’s rules, to covering up & lying about it & now thinking they can delay their punishment by appealing. Being a franchise in the NFL is a privilege, not a right. The league should remove the team from the owner & the city. Payton still doesn’t get it, so bar him from the league permanently, along with any other coach that is delusional enough to think he can slide out from under this with an appeal. Sure, we all know the delay tactics they’re utilizing & we don’t like it. Can’t imagine the other 31 owners approve of what this organization is doing. To Goodell & the league: don’t let them get by with it.

@drewbreesus and Jason1980…you 2 need some serious help ! Lol. Do your parents even know your on the computer?

===============================

If you’re going to criticize me for apparently sounding child-like, at least try and avoid sounding like a teenage girl text messaging.
I don’t know what I said that gave you the impression that I still lived with my parents, unless defending my favorite team is something only kids are allowed to do. Tell your parents you need an English tutor.

You keep stating that the Saints have admitted to “bounties”, when in fact, all they have admitted to was the “pay for performance” (rewarding players for ints, fumbles, etc.) aspect of the indictments handed down by the office. They haven’t admitted to having the “bounty system” in place. SKOOOOOOOOOOOL VIKINGS!

Deb says:Mar 30, 2012 10:22 PM

You take money from a convicted felon … to bypass the salary cap … and run an illegal bounty program … aimed at causing serious injury to opponents. You repeatedly lie about the program to the league.

The league doesn’t touch your Super Bowl. The league doesn’t open the Pandora’s box of what was in it for the felon. So far you haven’t been hit with the cap penalties you should be facing. But still you whine, whine, whine about your punishments.

harealedood, that’s not true at all. The major reason the cheat Payton received a 1 year penalty, was because he lied to the NFL about knowledge of the bounties. Then he admitted to the league’s office and that angered Goodell. Had he not lied, he wouldn’t have received a year.

You people are all idiots. Why the hell WOULDN’T they appeal? If you were in the exact same situation and knew you had the smallest chance of reducing the punishment, wouldn’t you appeal too? How is that milking the system? It’s called using the system for what it was designed for.

And quit acting like the Saints committed murder or something. Wa wa they allegedly paid each other money to hurt other players? I thought the NFL was about a bunch of brutes getting PAID TO HURT EACH OTHER.

But no, this is so obviously cheating, right? This certainly deserves more of a punishment than the Patriots got for ACTUALLY cheating, and Sean Payton totally deserves the same punishment Donte Stallworth got for killing someone with his car while drunk driving.

Just because the Saints got caught, doesn’t mean other teams don’t do it too.

duece5 says:

drewbreesus….you obviously flunked 1st greade math!

Count, 1,2.3. Three years that Payton, Loomis, Vitt, and Williams LIED to the NFL.

THAT IS WHY THY ARE BEING penalized!

Not because they mad ONE mistake.

THEY LIED OVER AND OVER AND TRIED TO COVER IT UP>>>>>>HELLO!!!!!!!!!!

MCFLY???? HELLOOOOOO!!

They had a smug eff u attitude, NOW YOU PAY THE PIPER.

Take it like a man…..your coach and Loomis had an opportunity to be contrite, say the right things, EVEN IF YOU DON’T AGREE WITH THE PUNISHMENT, you have to respect it, and you have to admit, that YOUR OWN coached put the NFL, through lawsuits to liability, in peril.

THAT IS WHY IT IS HANDED DOWN harshly.

Just shut up and quit embarassing yourself you…..YOU ARE A LIAR!!!!!!!! OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

There was so much that was wrong going on I can’t believe you have a grasp on reality if you think they should be let off the hook.
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Sorry but I missed the part where I said they should be let off the hook. Did I say that? Maybe you can point it out to me where I said that.

They were wrong and they deserve a punishment. But, the talk that they ended players careers, and that they cheated, and that their super bowl should have an asterisk are the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. If you don’t agree with that, then I have to question your grasp on reality.

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What were they wrong about in your view if you don’t think they cheated?
They broke the rules & repeatedly lied about trying to injure other players. Hurting another player within the confines of the rules is part of the game. (hint: hitting players late on purpose is against the rules)
Their strategy was to injure & get bonuses for it.
If it would have been the Saints on the receiving end of the bounties there would be an uproar here along with a bunch of illiterate “Who Dats”

Cue the Saints haters and the whining Viqueen fans. This site is becoming predictable. Someone get these fans a pacifier.

infrno says:Mar 31, 2012 12:45 AM

thejuddstir says: Mar 30, 2012 6:20 PM

I would like to hear what saints fans would say if one of their neighbors paid someone else to come over and assault them. A lot of people would spend time in prison for such a crime…and if they were a two-time offender or drug user (Sean Payton), they would for sure get prison…..be thankful you only got one year suspension Payton and now grow up and accept your punishment like a…………….man.
You know with all the meetings in NY between Payton, Saints, Loomis, Benson, Williams etc. with Goodell prior to the punishment being handed down, that the punishment was talked about ahead of time and the criminals were told to accept responsibility and show remorse so the league could put this PR nightmare behind them but the Gang of Five decided to stab Goodell and the rest of the league in the back…….double their sentence Goodell !!!
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I would like to know just how utterly stupid one has to be to even attempt to make this analogy.

People on the street would spend time in prison for what legally happens ON EVERY SINGLE DOWN IN EVERY SINGLE GAME.

Good God, how does it feel to be an effing idiot?

mark0226 says:Mar 31, 2012 12:56 AM

pftcensorssuck says:Mar 30, 2012 7:05 PM

Correct me if I’m wrong, but did Bill Belichick and the Patriots appeal their penalties from Spygate????

Dont’t recall them doing so, I believe they took their punishment and shut up.
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I don’t believe Belichick was fined $7 million dollars and a year away from football. Maybe I misunderstood the punishment he received. Please enlighten me.

crabboil says:Mar 31, 2012 3:04 AM

Not one single LEGITIMATE football analyst condones any lightweight maneuvering like putting an asterisk behind the Saints championship. Give it a rest, Vikings fans.

I am a Saints fan.I say this the Super Bowl was won on the field but since Peyton Manning was out with an injury last season. That had to be us too. As a fan planning who lives in another state than my hometown. I planned on being at a game this season. With gas at $4 a gallon, lodging and the cost of a ticket which has increased each year since 09. I feel like I’d be cheated to do it. We go to games to see our favorite players and coach. How does that benefit me when a lower bowl ticket in the dome can run you at least $1

$1000 or more. I am frustrated and I dont want to hear a guy stand up and nonnchalantly say to me he understands. Bull. Lastly, the NFL is past it’s entrepranual phase. What employer investigates a situation, hands down a repremand for said situation but never shows what evidence yoy got repremanded for? The most popuar sport in the world can print record books to no end. can’t cut down 50,000 pages down to a Cliff Note version of key points to show to the guilty parties. I smell horse turds and some just got on your face Rodger. Funny think is he might have to lessen the suspension to wipe the stentch off.